For The Love Of Quidditch, For The Love Of Him
by notthtucare
Summary: Allison herself quiet often laughed at the irony. She was labeled as this unable, and book wormish girl who cared for nothing more then Newt’s and Owl’s, yet in reality, she was rarely reading books for her courses and frequently reading Quidditch books.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:Mother is Right

No one had expected for him to drop dead at the Quidditch game. That was probably because when he had grabbed Allison's hand and a handful of floo powder he seemed perfectly content. Content with that fact that Allison's mother had just blown at him for "encouraging such barbaric behavior." The rest of the yelling came from Allison's mother and consisted mostly of accusations on how this one simple Quidditch game would ruin Allison for the rest of her life and how she could never be lady like after it. But in response he had just smiled, gave his wife a kiss on the cheek, grabbed Allison, and left her standing there in disbelief.

Although Allison was merely eight, she still knew the normal behavior and activities of a funeral. And her father's funeral turned out to be the exact opposite of normal. The funeral had consisted of no expressed sympathies, no stories of how great Willem Stapleton was, and most of all no uncontrollable tears.

Strangely all that was all okay with Allison, she was okay with no one crying and mostly okay with being blamed for his death by every other person. However, it was the fact that Aradia Stapleton, who had spent ten years married to Willem, had not cried a single tear since his death. She had, actually, spent the first 5 minutes of her husband's funeral having his parents removed from the event.

Allison was not sure of the typical pureblood behavior, but her mother had practically recited to her, "A pureblood is never surprised and never phased." Allison had taken notice that her mother had spent the period of time from her fathers death to his funeral, the exact opposite, running around like a chicken with its head cut off. And the hypocrisy didn't stop there.

The chicken had been doing everything in her power to forget her husband. For weeks Allison's mother had been repeating the phrase to no one in particular, "Out with the old…" She made it her mission to 'cleanse' herself of everything that reminded her of him.

It didn't take long for Aradia to remove everything of Willem's out of the house. All his clothes, the bed they had shared, every gift he had given her was thrown away. Allison had become so upset with her mother that she spent a whole day digging in the trashcan and putting things back to their original spots.

As punishment for this, Aradia made Allison's room her next 'cleansing project'. Everything her father had given her was put into a pile in the center of the room, and when she was absolutely certain that every object was there she dragged Allison by the arm to the pile and sat her down.

"Stop your crying," Allison was told. And when Allison didn't stop Aradia repeated herself.

"I wont throw any of it away," Allison argued.

"You will do as your told. Like every good young pureblood you will do as your told," Allison's mother said in a robotic tone. "Now, here's how this is going to happen. For every object I will give you a scenario, the object will be burned unless you respond as a pureblood would. With no argument, do you understand me?"

"I'm not going to answer any of your stupid questions" Allison replied crossing her arms.

With her anger growing her mother grabbed a book entitled "How I Know My Daddy Loves Me" and threw it into a fireplace to the right of her. Despite Allison's screaming and pleading, the book was engulfed in flames and burned into ash.

"That was the first book he gave me," Allison cried.

"Now should we continue without the crying and screaming please," Aradia more of stated then asked.

Right in front of her eyes, every object that Allison held dear was destroyed by the fire. She wasn't sure it was resentment towards her mother, or the sorrow of losing everything imperative that was making her cry, but she hadn't stopped for hours. Her voice was hoarse, her eyes blood shot and red, her lips chapped, and her cheeks permanently salty from the tears. There was no hope for Allison getting a questions right, because no matter how thought out and calm her answer was, it was always wrong.

Finally her mother picked up the last object on the floor. A pile of pictures, held together by a rubber band lay in Aradia's hand.

"Maybe you could stop being a disappointment long enough to answer this right and save these pictures of you and you father. An invitation for a Quidditch game has been extended to you from the Malfoy Family. Your correct response would be?"

"I curtsey." Allison said plainly.

"Yes, and what else?"

"In a tone no greater then a whisper, I would graciously decline their invitation. And if they continued to insist on my company I would simply reply that a Quidditch game is no sensible place for a young lady to be and that my mother would not approve of me wasting such time there."

Her mother stared at her with disgust and walked towards the fireplace and brought her arm out over the flames. Aradia looked back at her daughter before she dropped the pictures and asked, "You would talk in such a way to the Malfoys?" Aradia dropped the pictures into the flames and walked towards the door.

Through tears and gasps Allison managed to reply to her mother, "I would speak to the Malfoys in such a way because, like you said when you burned my locket from father, 'We come from The Noble and Most Ancient House Of Black and no one is better then us.'"

"Ah, yes. Well maybe I did say that." She said exiting and closing the door behind her.

Allison ran to the fireplace as if some hope remained. When she got there, the only picture left was disappearing by the second and not even the tears that rushed down her cheeks rapidly could save the memory. In the picture, Willem was seen with a 3-year-old Allison on his lap attacking her with kisses. After a few seconds, he looked to the camera and mouthed the words 'I Love Her'. While her father expressed his love with such excitement, Allison giggled hysterically and wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him tightly turning her back towards the camera.

"No ones better then the Black's…" Allison cried.

"No ones better then the Black's…"

"Somebody wake her up."

"Why? She looks like she needs her rest anyways. Those bags under her eyes aren't doing anything for her." A young man with brown hair chuckled not looking up from a book with 'plays' chicken scratched on the front cover.

"She's having that nightmare again. And I don't want to want to sit with the girl who had practically flooded the compartment drooling over you Oliver, but if worst comes to worst…" another boy with red hair replied.

"Samantha something of another. I think that's her name. I don't quite remember, she wasn't that great of a snog. I don't want to drown in her spit again." The third boy, with red hair similar to that of the boy across from him, laughed.

"Fred, as much as I enjoy hearing stories of my brother's broom closet adventures, will you just wake the girl up please?" George Weasley pleaded with his identical twin.

"You know I think I might have met her in the broom closet more then once now that you bring it up. You said her name was Samantha?" Oliver Wood said closing his book and entering the conversation.

"Yeah, that's her name. Samantha something, her last name has seemed to slip my mind. Say George, You remember?"

"…Always respectful to those who are greater…" Allison blurted out from the window seat of the compartment.

"I swear to Merlin! No, I don't remember the girl's name! And if you don't wake Allison up right now you not going to remember your own!"

Fred stared at his brother, furrowed his eyebrows and the turned towards Allison. "Oy!" he exclaimed nudging Allison.

Allison woke up in a bolt looking around her as if confused by the scene. When she had 'gathered' herself, and figured out that she had been dreaming she greeted the others. "Hello boys, enjoy your vacation?" she inquired as she dropped her head onto the back of the seat.

"I enjoyed it as much as I enjoy hearing you mumble in your sleep Stapleton," Oliver said reopening his book.

"What's up his butt?" Allison asked the two other boys.

"He spent his summer following after some girl, and now the problem is he hasn't got any play to run for Quidditch practice."

"And the only plays he has for games are the ones we used last year…"

"Merlin knows the Slytherin team knows those like the back of their slimy, scaly hands by now," Fred said concluding the twin's statement.

"Oy! Big mouths! What are you telling nosey over here for? Its not like she knows anything about Quidditch anyways. Or relationships for that matter," Oliver said smacking Fred and George on their arms with his book.

As the twins rubbed their arms, Allison was busy glaring at Oliver and growing angrier.

"What are you going to do Stapleton? You know both statements are true. You don't know one thing about Quidditch, and you couldn't enlighten me with one fact about dating. Face it Love, your mum's rules just make you seem more ridiculous." Oliver said placing his hand on her knee as if to sympathize with her.

"At least my mother taught me not to deal with Gryffindor wankers like you," Allison said throwing Oliver's hand off her knee, snatching up her advanced potion making book from the open area besides her, and beginning to read. Because she had herself sitting in the corner the rest of the group wasn't able to see that hidden in her potions book was another entitled "Beating the Bludgers: A Study of Defensive Strategies in Quidditch". Allison herself quiet often laughed at the irony. She was labeled as this unable, and book worm-ish girl who cared for nothing more then Newt's and Owl's, yet in reality, she was rarely reading books for her courses and frequently reading Quidditch books.

"Yes your mother is always right isn't she Stapleton," Oliver said rolling his eyes. "Always do what your told, typical pureblood behavior. It's disgusting, you and your whole family disgust me."

"Take it back Oliver," Allison demanded.

"No."

"Take it back or I will turn into a 'typical' pureblood." She threatened.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Allies or Enemies?

"What are you going to do hex me Stapleton?" Oliver chuckled.

"If that's what it takes to get you to take it back." She said clenching her fist and reaching into her pocket for her wand.

"Calm down, you know you can't use magic on the train," Oliver said becoming serious. "And besides, that would put your perfect image in jeopardy," he added rolling his eyes.

"What perfect image?" she asked as if clueless to how everyone viewed her.

As a reply Oliver picked up a book from besides Allison and threw it in her lap. When Allison gave him a look that questioned his sanity he sighed and commanded, "Now open it and stick your nose into it."

Allison hesitantly opened the book and did as Oliver told her. She stuck her nose in the crack of the book to where her eyes were peeking over the top of it and kept it there.

"Yeah love, we've been meaning to talk to you about that, George and I," Fred laughed expressing his amusement with the scene in front of him.

"You see, Potions are equal to Professor Snape. Therefore whenever we see a potions book we think of…" George raising his voice on the end part as if emphasizing that he was asking a question instead of making a statement.

"S-Snape?" Allison stuttered.

"Look Fred, we've got a smart one on our hands." George joked. "I've always told you we raised her right."

"Yes, well I guess we did." Fred played along.

"Poor Fred here worried about that for a while," George said shielding his mouth from his brother with his hand as if telling Allison some sort of secret.

"For such a pretty girl, you spend way too much time behind a potions book," Fred told her in all sincerity.

"And I'm really tired of Snape's image popping into my head when I look at you."

"Despite what you may think, we actually do like seeing your face," Fred laughed.

"I prefer she stays hidden there, a little less ugly in the world. Merlin knows the wizarding world has enough competition for ugly creatures," Oliver laughed testing his luck.

"And this world has enough horrible want to be Quidditch players too, but no one really says anything to you about that do they," Allison retorted shooting a glare in Oliver's direction.

"We are all so fortunate that you were here to remind us of that Stapleton," he said returning the same hard, cold stare. "I didn't even know you were capable to say such a barbaric and filthy word. Correct me if I'm wrong, weren't those the words you used to describe Quidditch?"

"Who told you that?"

"I know a lot more then you assume I do, that's an additional benefit of having girls on my team. I get to hear every bit of gossip that goes on at school. Oh and also, Teagen Bucklin fancies you, although, for the life of me, I can't figure out why. "

"He does?" Allison asked with her cheeks turning a faint pink.

Oliver's face Hardened. "Yes," Oliver answered through clenched teeth, "But he knows to stay away."

"Why would he have to stay away from me? What did you tell him Wood?" Allison questioned furrowing her brow.

"Ward!" George yelled hitting himself on the forehead in realization.

"What?" Allison and Oliver asked in confusion.

"The girls name Wood, her name is Samantha Ward," George said ignoring Allison.

"Right. Samantha Ward," Oliver nodded comprehending what George was saying. "Wow she was something wasn't she?" Oliver said to himself getting a dreamy look in his eyes.

"Wait, wait. This whole outburst is over some girl that you and George snogged?" Allison asked in a disbelieving tone.

"Pretty much," George said nodding his head.

"You are too much!" Allison yelled at Oliver.

"I'm too much?"

"Yes you're too much."

An innocent look took over his face, "I am? Me?"

"Yes you! You, Oliver Wood, are way too much! You are the reason Quidditch players have such a bad image at Hogwarts. You use your position as team captain to lure girls and get them to shag you." Allison said in an aggravated tone, emphasizes the word lure with disgust.

"Believe me, girls would shag Marcus Flint as long as he was on the Quidditch team. Am I right Fred?" George said chuckling and nudging his brother in the stomach.

Fred looked at his brother and franticly shook his head from side to side to tell his brother to stop talking.

Oliver let out a fake laugh and ignored Allison's statement, "Speaking of Quidditch Stapleton, why don't you finally clear up for us all how your father died."

The whole compartment became so quiet that not even breathing could be heard. The faint laugh of someone in the compartment adjacent to theirs forced the situation to progress. So in silence, Allison grabbed her books, roughly slid the compartment door open, and walked off with tears building up in her eyes.

There are three major mistakes you can make in life, one, ask about the death of someone's parents or loved one, two, open a door and exit without looking to see if anyone's on the other side first, and third…well that doesn't even matter. Allison was already making mistake number two. Allison hadn't checked for anyone on the other side when she threw herself out of the compartment and slammed the door closed behind her, and in consequence at the last second when she looked forward she was forced to let out a huge shriek.

"Well I can't say that I hadn't hoped we'd meet again like this. Although I couldn't have ever dreamed you would have ended up sitting on my lap."

When Allison turned to see the source of the voice she was greeted by a mouthful of ugly. Her eyes were fixated on the rotting teeth and a lopsided smile in front of her. Currently she didn't care whom she had landed on, it was the teeth that gave away his identity anyways.

"Correction Marcus," Allison said lifting herself off of Flint, "I fell on your lap, I didn't sit on it. Sitting is intentional and also something I would never do."

"Spoken just like your mother would expect of you. Allison…"

"It's Stapleton Flint."

"Okay, Stapleton. Your mother isn't with you when you come to Hogwarts, so there no need to hold yourself back when you're around me. I know what kind of effect," he said in a hushed tone, as he closed the space in between them, "I can have on women." Marcus smiled and then leaned in to close the gap between their lips.

Allison, like any sane person, had different plans. She let out a grunt of disgust and pushed Marcus away. "You're Disgusting! I wouldn't even consider doing that with you even if you were that last person on the face of the earth."

"Not even your mother could make a better match. You have the brains and I the beauty." He stated stepping closer to her once again.

Marcus' cold fingers caressed her cheek causing her to shudder. For a second she closed her eyes and scrunched her face in disgust. However, when a random and surprising image of Oliver appeared in her mind, her expression softened. She breathed in deeply so that her whole chest moved with the filling of her lungs.

When Allison opened her eyes again, Marcus was no longer standing in front of her. Oliver had taken his place and he was hovering over a curled up Marcus.

Allison's face no longer showed pleasure, in its place was confusion and concern. "What happened?"

Oliver had no intent on filling Allison's curiosity. He turned on his heel, whispered a "Let's go, now," grabbed her by the hand, and ran off with Allison trailing behind.

Despite the big scene that happened in front of her, and the adrenaline pumping through her veins Allison could only seem to focus on Oliver's fingers laced through hers.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Mona Lisa's Smile

"A smile can brighten the darkest day."

Allison's face screamed internal conflict, but Oliver didn't care to notice. It was his mission to get her as far away from Flint as possible. And if that meant not going to Hogwarts this year, then so be it.

"Oliver," she whispered barely audible. "Oliver. Oliver stop."

He let out an aggravated sigh and reluctantly stopped. Allison had half expected him to let go of her hand. But when his fingers remained laced through her, it made her stomach flutter as she contemplated why this was.

"Well?" He questioned her more with his face then his voice, "Why did you tell me to stop?"

"My hand," she thought and spoke at the same time, she then closed her eyes and smacked herself internally.

Oliver face flushed and then turned a slight color of red. "Right," he replied looking at their hands clasped together and unwillingly releasing them. "I just thought…" he started trying to justify his actions.

Allison watched him intently. She couldn't deny that she wanted to be enlightened on the matter. Her smile however, gave off that she was in a blissful mood instead of a curious one.

He pursed his lips in uncertainty, "Why are you laughing at me?"

"I'm not, I wasn't," Allison replied hiding all signs of her happiness. After a few moments however, Allison let a grin shin through.

"There it is again. Stapleton, why do you find me so funny," Oliver demanded getting aggravated.

Allison's hand was immediately brought to cover her mouth as she told him, "I wasn't laughing, just smiling."

"I can have that affect on girls," Oliver jokingly boasted, as all color of humiliation vanished from his cheeks.

"I see you found your words Wood," Allison stated, the smile fading from her face.

"It was just a joke. I was making a joke," he rushed to say as she walked away from him.

Turning back around softly she looked at him with her body stiff with seriousness. Allison opened her mouth to comment on Oliver's proclamation but no words came out.

"See, that's the problem with girls like Allison," Marcus interrupted, "The lot of what they do is of importance. They don't have time for jokes."

"Don't you have someplace else to be Marcus?" Oliver frowned.

"Like brushing your teeth," Allison added.

Marcus ignored Allison's snide remark and continued, "And the only people or events that they actually make time for have to benefit themselves."

"I beg your pardon?" Allison said in an offended tone.

"Marcus leave her alone," Oliver warned.

Marcus made a threatening move towards Allison to test Oliver. Marcus' jolt triggered Oliver to grab her by the waist and push her behind him. Oliver and Marcus stood face to face.

"You should really stop trying to protect her mate. Especially since her and her family don't approve of people like you." He grinned.

"People like me? She needs protection from people like you." Oliver replied.

"Oliver, no I don't. I can protect myself," Allison whispered in Oliver's ear.

"Shh!" Oliver commanded putting his hand up to stress it. "And I swear if you try one more thing Flint," Oliver threatened.

"Merlin, stick to playing Quidditch, Wood. You're awful at threatening. And besides, she said she is fine one her own, you heard her. So why don't you leave her on her own?" Marcus questioned with a mischievous smile plastered on his face. When Oliver showed no sign of moving Marcus became annoyed with him. "Wood, stop protecting her as if she's your girlfriend. She's just as single as she was back in first year; it just means she's fair game for the both of us. Of course you'll probably lose her like you lose in Quidditch each year."

"Excuse me? I am not some sport!" Allison attempted to run forward and choke Flint.

Oliver held her back and ordered her, "Ill handle this!" When he had successfully calmed her down, he turned back to Marcus and sustained his quarrel. "She is not some sport! And even if she were, she wouldn't be fair game. She's my girlfriend," Oliver boasted.

Allison shook her head as if she had heard Oliver's statement incorrectly, and scrunched her eyebrows as result of the thoughts that took over her mind.

Flint's face dropped in belief of what Oliver had told him. However, when he looked to Allison for confirmation, his arrogant grin came back. Allison was mouthing, " His girlfriend? What?" and her eyes were shifting every which way in confusion.

"Why does Allison look as if this is the first time she has been informed of this then?" Marcus raised his eyebrow in a questioning manor. "She's fair game mate."

Allison chuckled irritably, "you now what, I'm getting real tired of you. Oliver has had a chance. Now, its my turn," Allison walked quickly towards Marcus, pushing Oliver against a compartment door as she walked by him. As she approached Marcus, and shook her head, "This will so be worth the howler I get from my mother tomorrow." Allison pulled her elbow back, closed her fist and let it hurry towards Marcus' face.

Marcus lay on the floor and cried like a baby, "My beautiful face! You stupid muggle loving who..." but before he could finish Allison kicked him in the stomach knocking the wind out of him.

She walked back to where Oliver stood in amazement, back still against the compartment door. With the adrenaline still pumping through her veins, she teased Oliver by closing any manor of space between them. When she was positive that enough time had passed she leaned in and whispered in his ear, so that is was barely audible, "You take too long to do anything anyways. You know what they say, if you want the job done right."

After, she backed away from him and laughed at his frightened facial expression and rolled her eyes. "How does it feel Wood? To finally be the one that's left speechless. What is it in you that has to do that to me? Are you crazy? I'm your girlfriend? You have to be off your rocker," Allison rambled in stress and uncertainty. "I can't say that part of me doesn't hope that tomorrow you wont be calling me an ugly pureblood, and I wont be calling you an arrogant, big headed flirt! But I know that wont happen, we are always at each other's throats. And then your are someone completely different when we're around Fli…"

"Allison, I didn't mean to," he walked forward to scoop her up in a hug.

But Allison just pushed his arms away and shook her head. "I'm not going to play part in something that I have no control over Oliver. I cant play part in something so… something so unstable."


	4. Chapter 4

Like all dramatic scenes, Allison walked off leaving Oliver speechless. She was right after all, He was completely clueless to everything he did, and his next move was always unpredictable. And in her mind, she had no room in her perfectly planed life for an unexpected turn.

**"Allison."** Oliver called after her.

**"Just. Just no,"** she replied continuing to go back to the compartment.

**"Allison!"** Oliver called again, this time jogging to end up right behind her. **"Kiss me."**

**"Have you lost your bloody marbles Wood?" **She questioned as she turned to face him.

**" No I haven't. I want you to kiss me Stapleton."** Oliver said almost in a whisper as he inched closer to her.

He slid his hand through her right arm, which was currently placed on her hip, and rested his hand on her lower back. When Allison didn't react to his touch, Oliver pulled Allison into him, and leant down in an attempt to kiss her. Much to Oliver's surprise, Allison didn't punch him when he put his lips to hers. However the kiss only lasted for about 2 seconds, in which after Allison pushed Oliver away.

She took a reasonable amount of steps back and made an almost gasping shocked noise and put her hand to her lips.

**"What? What's wrong?" **Oliver asked looking sincere.

She remained silent and didn't respond.

**"Allison…Allison."** Oliver begged. **"Allison. I…Well I love you Allison."**

**"Don't say that Wood. Don't be such a blithering imbecile. You know as well as I do that you don't mean that."**

**"Well, yes I do. I do mean it. I need you. I mean I want you."** he responded sounding a little unsure that what was coming out of his mouth was 100 honesty.

**"No you don't. You don't Wood. And if you do, well it's about time you start learning that you can't always get what you want."** she stated taking little steps backwards until she was sick of looking at Oliver, so she turned and fast walked to the compartment.

When she finally reached the compartment she was slightly panting so she leaned on the compartment door to rest.

In seeing her blur of a body leaning against the glass, George purposely slid the door open forcing Allison to the floor of the compartment.

**"You look so mystified Stapleton."** Fred commented on Allison half-there look.

**"That's not mystified."** Katie came in the discussion, studying Allison's face.

**"Katie, are you sure you even know what mystified means?"** Fred said poking fun at her.

**"Of course I know what mystified means. Like bewildered, confused. And I'm positive she's not mystified."** she rebuked angrily.

**"Well how are you so positive?"** Fred challenged.

**"When I took muggle studies as an attempt at an easy pass, we watched a muggle film one class. The film was titled "The Cowboy and The Blond" or something of that matter. It was a love story. And after 'the cowboy' kissed 'the blond' she had that same look on her face." **Katie voiced proudly.

They all continued on to stare at Allison almost as to try and get the answers out of her. Like staring was going to make her spill her deepest darkest secrets, but it was actually making her quite uncomfortable.

**"But she's…she's Allison Stapleton." **George stated thinking out loud.

**"What's that supposed to mean Weasley?"** Allison said questioning his thinking.

**"I mean your Allison Stapleton. The only things that have probably touched your lips are utensils and a book. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean your not attractive, because man oh man, but its impossible to get you to put your book down for two seconds."** He replied almost oblivious to the words coming out of his mouth.

Allison sat there taking in what George had just said. Did everyone really she her like that, as a book attachment. Nothing more then the girl who they think will spend the rest of her life with her books.

**"Right" **Katie stated trying to steer attention from Allison hurt face.**" And I'm the one who doesn't know what she's saying?"** everyone in the compartment, besides Allison, laughed.

Katie helped Allison off of the floor and sat her next to the window. Allison decided it was best if she just gaped out the window, and thought about what was next in her life that had just taken the wrong turn.

The compartment door slid open and everyone's attention was drawn towards the door to see who it was. When Allison turned her head to the door she was very disappointed about who she was staring at.

Mr. Oliver Wood. Smirking. Smirking that smirk that drove girls crazy. But the smirk drove Allison I different kind of crazy. She wanted to slap that smirk right off of his face as if to say 'What are you so smug about. Quit smirking or everyone is going to know'.

**"Didn't we just see that look a few minutes ago?"** It was too late. They knew.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five:

The rest of the train ride ended up being awkward and silent. Any conversation there actually was ended up concerning the weather, or how worried they were with passing potions this year. The lack of topics is what carried on the potions conversation to dinner, where Oliver seemed still the whole time.

"Everyone one knows that git of a teacher couldn't teach a monkey to eat a banana, let alone provoke a class full of students to mimic the potions he makes." Fred said as if spilling his heart and soul into his statement which he made into more of an opinion.

"On the contrary Fred, I quite believe that Professor Snape is excellent teacher. He may have not perfected the whole teacher working hands-on with the student thing, but he makes the potion a bit simpler then it actually is or should be." Allison stated disagreeing with Fred's accusations towards the Professor.

"Pfffht." Is what came out of both Fred and George's mouth(along with a bit of food).

"Name one way that Snape made a potion easier." George begged Allison, shoving a whole roll in his mouth.

"Well…"Allison thought,"…there was that one time he taught us the blood-replenishing potion. That wasn't as difficult as I thought it up to be." she stated matter-of-factly as she took a sip from her goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Wasn't it you and your partner who were the ones who ended up having to stay after class to re try their potion for the fourth time when Professor Snape taught us that one?" Katie questioned innocently picking at the plate of food in front of her.

"Well yes. B…But that was only because. Well it was only because my partner grabbed the wrong ingredients." Allison defended.

A quiet snicker was heard at their section of the table and it showed to be contagious. Within a few seconds everyone, but Allison, was laughing.

"I don't find any of you funny a'tall." Allison said crossing her arms in anger.

Fred and George gave a look of sincerity and then a fake puppy dog face. Then they started off in one of their freaky twin things that they do.

"We were only poking fun at you Allison…" Fred started.

"We didn't mean to upset you in any way," George continued,"After all you are our favorite bookworm…."

"And you know we're your favorite twins." Fred said finishing his brothers sentence and flashing a smile in Allison's direction.

Allison pondered for a few seconds about what they had said. Almost as if seeing if what they said was apology enough for her.

"Well some of those things might be true, and your statements did seem genuine. But you guys still owe me some peppermint frogs come time to visit honeydukes." Allison said laughing at everyone's face of disgust. "And however true it is that you two are my favorite twins, it's only because you're the only twins I know. Actually come to think of it, you guys are the only twins this year." She said thinking out loud picking at her roll.

"Well that's not true. What about Simon and Peter from our herbology class?" Katie interrupted.

"Well they don't count. One they're in slytherin and two, I have said a measly amount of 6 words to them." Allison said almost in full hatred.

"Well we can't be as your face just described. I seem to recall a time when you, Miss Stapleton, fancied my brother. Isn't that true Peter?" Simon, the eldest slytherin twin questioned his brother.

As soon as they all heard the new voice enter the conversation, they turned to see Peter, the quiet content slytherin, Simon, the eldest most annoying twin(almost as annoying as Marcus flint), and the king of annoying and ugly, the infamous Marcus Flint.

It was the bringing up of Allison liking a slytherin that caused Oliver's interest in the conversation. It many have also been the fact that Marcus Flint, his arch enemy, found it necessary to bother Allison again. But after what happened on the train Oliver was going to try and make it unapparent that he was in fact fuming.

"I wouldn't call it much of a fancying really." Allison said almost in a whisper as a shade of pink covered her cheeks," it was more of a first year school girls crush."

"Ah. But I seem to recall my brother telling me of a certain incident that occurred in broom closet, previous to dinner time." Simon said rubbing it in, turning Allison's cheeks turn a cherry colored crimson.

"Oh so the whole conservative school girl look is just a front?" declared Marcus, pleased with his joke.

Allison sank in her seat, hoping it would make her less noticeable. In seeing this, her friends attempted a rescue from the conversation.

"Bugger off Flint! And take your deatheater friends with you!" George shouted.

"I don't think a mudblood loving weasel like you should be giving advice to a pureblood like me." Flint glared,"And besides if she snogged our silent Peter here, it gives me hope that I can get into her pants." Flint finished with his voice as bigheaded and proud as ever.

"I do believe its time for you to leave Flint." Allison said through clenched teeth.

"Oh I'll leave at my hearts desiring. But for now, lets talk about you and I Stapleton." He declared, flashing her a rotted smile.

"She said leave!" Oliver said, the anger in his voice rising with each word.

"And if you don't I swear to you I'll hex you into the next century." He said getting up from his seat to stand face to face with Marcus Flint.

"How many time will you have to stand up for her to realize that she doesn't want you mate, she never will." Marcus said provoking Oliver's anger.

Oliver chuckled as he partially turned to the side, clenching his fist. Catching Marcus off guard, Oliver threw a punch that hit him right on his cheek.

As a crowd began to form, Oliver shook his hand attempting to ease the pain that now shot through his hand.

"I told you to leave her alone! It wasn't as if you couldn't see that she was uncomfortable. And just because she turned you down gives you no basis to harass the girl." Oliver declared raising his voice for the entire great hall to hear.

It was clear to the teachers now that something, that couldn't be positive, was taking place. They all jumped out of their chairs and ran to the direction of the crowd to separate the students. McGonagall was the only one who could get through the students.

"Move. Move. Get out of the way!" McGonagall said pushing her way through the crowd of students.

By the time she got to the middle of the crowd, she saw the situations frantic need of control. Oliver had just turned his back to walk away into the crowd towards Allison and everyone else. In seeing Oliver's disadvantage Marcus had pulled out his wand.

"For embarrassing me I'm going to make you pay. For the rest of your life Oliver Wood, I'll make you pay. Lets see how tough you are with one of the unforgivable curses" Marcus whispered for only himself to hear.

With his wand in his hand he got up off the floor and aimed his wand at Oliver.

Allison who had been standing by, ashamed of starting such a big scene noticed Flint mutter something to himself, stand up, take out his wand and aim it at Oliver's back. A burst of fear rushed over her, and she panicked.

She stood up, ran towards him, and screamed "OLIVER!"

Her heart raced as she saw Marcus beginning to cast his spell. Oliver now realizing something was happening, turned around to see Marcus' wand pointed at his face. In alarm Oliver reached for his wand in his pocket, but not fast enough.

"Cru…" began Marcus with rage and anger in his eyes.

"No!" Allison screamed as dread took her over. Tears building up in her eyes.

"**Expelliarmus!"**


	6. Chapter 6

_Looking around her she saw the same scenario; however, everyone seemed much older. Confusing herself Allison started noticing details of the people around her._

_Oliver was wearing a head boy badge, and his hair was longer then when she looked at him a minute ago._

_Professor Snape, if it seems at all possible, had a face full of more worry lines and wrinkles._

_The headmaster, as it seemed, was no where to be found._

_But what confused Allison the most is when she looked down at her robes to study her appearance something on her hand glistened. Taking her hand out of her sleeve she studied it. sitting right on her engagement finger was a silver ring with one diamond right smack in the middle. Then Allison heard voices beginning raised and a scene establishing. _

"_Expelliarmus!" Snape yelled aiming blindly at what he thought to be the core of the circle, where an older Marcus was sitting. It was only after Professor Snape had spoken that Allison had remembered what had been going on._

_However it was too late for Oliver.. Before he had an opportunity to completely process what was going on, the curse hit him. He fell to the floor screaming in excruciating pain. _

_The Great Hall was in total astonishment and alarm. Silence possessed the students, and all that could be heard was screaming. The person who possessed the source of the great pain stood with wickedness in his eyes and an able smile on his face. _

_Allison unsure of how to react gawked in disbelief just like everyone else. She stared at Oliver's face, seeing the unbearable and excruciating pain. Tears fell out of his eyes and pain out of his mouth. A sound came next that shocked the whole Great Hall, and frightened the occasional few._

"_You promise her nothing! Emptiness! I have everything she needs."_

"_We…WE…Love each…Other!" Oliver managed to reply._

"_You'll never know what love is. You understand love as a silly little crush. Fear is the heart of love, to have love one must have fear, and she fears me. You could never understand what she needs. Look at her. She doesn't even stop me, because she knows the consequence would be far too great," Marcus vocalized as he pointed at Allison, making it transparent that she was in fact the 'she'._

_Oliver managed to gasp in reply," She'll…. Never…L-L-Love…yo."_

_His last word he was barely able to mumble audibly._

_Allison, with tears streaming down her face fell to her knees. She opened her mouth to utter something, but the words were incapable of coming out. She stared at Oliver's Body to the floor, back and forth, begging him, in her mind, to show some form of life._

_Marcus seeing her confused state of mind walked slowly towards her. He quietly stopped in front of her, put his index finger to her chin, and forced her to look up, away from Oliver. An audible sob came out of her mouth and she attempted to look away from Marcus, though unsuccessful. With one hand he kept her gaze meeting with his, and with the other helped himself ease down to his knees. Taking her hand in his he ripped the ring off her finger. Reaching in his pocket he pulled out a velvet box, opened it, and took out a ring. The ring he was placing on her finger was, in comparison, much bigger then the one before. Without a doubt it was a newer ring and the diamonds were breath-taking. But something about the situation made her upset. Her sobbing made her feel weak and so she began to panic. However before she could do anything about her feeling Marcus had wrapped his hand around her head and forced her lips to his. Forced a kiss that was the exact opposite of what Allison wanted, it had felt nothing of romantic._

"Mr. Flint! You will straight away, and without delay go to the Headmaster's office where you will await a sufficient punishment for your actions!"

Nobody had the bravery to be the initial pupil to break the stillness so the silence practically rang in the Great Hall.

"Immediately!" McGonagall screamed when she hadn't sensed any movement from Marcus.

He quickly scrambled to get to his feet, with panic in his every movement. An immense fear of what was to come had begun to erect in him.

"Professor Snape am I wrong to entrust you to make sure Mr. Flint's trip to Dumbledore's office is complete?" McGonagall questioned.

The voices of the students had taken a while to return to normal, but after a while, it sounded as if nothing had happened. Oliver's faint whispering of 'Allison…' could be heard the entire time.

"Allison?" Oliver asked, waving his hand in front of her face, dropping down to his knees mimicking Allison's position.

"Please answer me," Oliver pleaded placing his hands on her shoulders and gently shaking her, "you're scaring me."

"Oliver did you shake her that hard? She's crying." Katie stated coming from behind.

A tear rolled down Allison's cheek and she blinked signifying her arrival back to reality. She blinked a few times more and finally gained as much poise as possible. Looking at Oliver with eyes filled with thanks her poise was shortly lived and she grabbed the back of his neck, leaned in towards him and kissed his lips. Regrets did not fill her head as she much expected, however, looking at Oliver, she saw pink had covered his cheeks.

Fred and George had just walked up when the kiss happened and were currently being hooked by their arms and dragged in the opposite direction. Katie who had the decency to give Oliver and Allison privacy had grabbed them before they could ask any questions of say anything sarcastic to ruin the scene.

Oliver, astonished, said nothing and didn't attempt to. Allison, on the other hand, felt the need to explain her actions.

"I… well I can't really… I don't really have any reason why I did that." She said staring at the ground.

Staring at her he chuckled, grinned his cocky little grin, and told her,"Allison I've known you're in love with me. You shouldn't deny it. It can't be healthy for you to keep such a big secret."

"Way to be humble Oliver Wood," she said standing up and sitting down at the table.

"But don't flatter yourself. I kissed you so it would confuse you and you'd finally admit to yourself that you're in love with me."

Following her he came behind her and whispered in her ear, "Is that the way you want it to be? Do you want me to be in love with you? Return the desires?"

Turning her head she glared at him. "The only feeling I have towards you is loathing, therefore the only feeling you'd be able to return would be hatred."

Changing his mood from playful to serious he sat on the bench next to her and faced her. With somewhat of worry in his voice he asked, "What happened back there? Before the kiss and you responding to reality? What was that strange dreamy look you had?"

"A day dream I imagine, a terrifying one. It just didn't feel like a dream. It felt, well real." She said furrowing her brow.

Staring at her with a concerned face, he eyes begged to understand what she had seen. He studied her face, as if it held the answer. Allison looked up and saw what he was doing, knowing completely his concerns, and told him, "It was nothing to worry about; you shouldn't give a second thought to it really. It was just my mind being silly." As if to ask 'Really?' he raised his eyebrows. In reply she gave him a smile, letting him know it was okay, and he returned the smile.

"Now what to do about this crush you have on me…"Allison said standing up and running to exit the Great Hall.

"Excuse me?" he called after her. But when she didn't stop to respond to him he stood up and ran after her.

"Was I the only one who saw that?" questioned George.

"It was the most romantic thing," Katie said sighing along with a few other girls who seemed to agree with her, "An unexpected kiss, a flirty quarrel, whispering in each others ear, and then running of together. It was so romantic, if only."

"Yes romantic?" Fred stated waving his hand in front of Katie's face, forcing her out of her trance.

Turning her head to him she play punched him and told the red-headed twins, "You wouldn't understand. It would take a miracle for guys like you to get it." Rolling her eyes she stood up and walked out of the Great Hall.

"And then there were two." Fred stated.

"What?" George questioned shrugging his shoulders.

"Forget it, boy genius."


	7. Chapter 7

"Allison, slow down a bit eh?" Oliver said slightly panting.

"Our star Quidditch player, our only hope for the cup, and he's tired after a little run." She said stopping to face him.

"You know if I wasn't so cute I might take offense to that," he smirked.

"I hate that stupid smirk Oliver Wood. Make it go away before I do" she threatened jokingly.

"And what's a little twig like you going to do huh Stapleton?" he questioned circling around her.

He stopped circling her and suddenly found himself extremely near to her, his face now stood inches away from hers. Looking down at her he quickly found himself breathing harder. He looked into her eyes and became confused with the scared look on her face. She was tense, almost as if holding her breath and she continued looking from the floor to his eyes, the floor back to his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "I didn't mean to scare you. I just…well I got caught up in the moment. Its just the excitement of the first night back, you know?"

Silence rang through the hall as Allison kept her gaze to the floor. Becoming uncomfortable Oliver stuck his hands in his pockets and attempted to blow it off with a smirk. "Right. So I should…well Fred and George, they'll be expecting me back to the Great Hall. To, you know, walk with them to the common room."

"Right," she said biting her lip, "well don't keep them waiting."

He began walking backwards staring at her and finally turned around to continue his journey to the Great Hall.

"It's a good thing he didn't kiss you," came a voice followed by a tremendously repulsive smile.

"And why is that Flint?" she said glaring at his figure appearing out of the dark.

"Merlin! I would have been forced to hex him, of course." He replied as if it was common sense.

"And if I wanted him to kiss me?" she said more of as a statement then a question.

"Ha," he chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist," we both know that wouldn't have been the case. I mean, I saw your face, he saw your face, and you, well, you were making the face. You were disgusted."

She cringed at his touch and wiggled out of his grip. "I wasn't disgusted, I was just… well I was just…"

"You were just what Stapleton?" he questioned, then continued as if she hadn't said a thing,"Also we both know our hidden desires are for me and not for some coward of a Quidditch player."

"You disgust me Marcus Flint," she cringed.

"And you, I dear one. That's why we're perfect together."

"You don't understand, you disgust me in the way that every time I see your face I acquire the urge to heave all over the floor and I sit there and hope that you will vanish just as promptly as you had appeared," in her mind she admitted it was an inhuman and merciless way of describing her thoughts towards him but continued, "and for your information Flint, I did fancy Oliver would kiss me."

She chuckled at Flint awed appearance and strolled past him, in the course of the Great Hall. Something inside her seemed different, she was able to stick up for herself and not be the 'damsel in distress'.

The Great Hall's doors opened and not a person noticed, with the exception of Katie. She turned her head and saw Allison come into the Great Hall with a weird grin on her face.

Allison walked right up to the table and took a seat between Oliver and Fred.

Curiosity obviously got the better of the twins and they began their interrogation.

"So are we to come to the conclusion that you two are a couple on our own…"Fred chuckled.

"…Or are you going to tell us what happened out there." George ended nudging his head towards the Great Hall doors.

"Well," Katie started," judging by the redness of Allison's face, I imagine its official Mr. Weasley."

"Nothing happened." Oliver said flat out with a hint of anger in his voice. "Nothing ever will."

An awkward hush fell among the group, so they politely dropped the subject and went back to the plates in front of them. Shifting their food and lifting their goblets till it all disappeared.

"And he just left you standing there?" Katie questioned staring at the dresser that stood to the left of her bed.

Allison knew she should have possibly kept the incident to herself, but she couldn't help telling Katie. She had tossed and turned for about 30 minutes before Katie confronted her about what had custody of her mind. She figured that if she couldn't make sense of the story herself, someone else possibly will.

"Yes,"She paused," Katie?"

"Hm?" she mumbled, her head still trying to make sense of the story.

"Is it absurd that I really did want to kiss him, but I didn't?" Allison questioned rolling over and pulling the blanket over her shoulders.

"Do you want the honest truth?"

"I can take, tell me the truth."

"I think you're a complete loony." Katie replied closing her eyes and falling asleep.

"I thought so." Allison said not to anyone in particular. Unable to even process the thought of sleep Allison tossed the covers off her body and draped her legs off the side of the bed. Stepping off her bed she walked to her nightstand and picked a book and a magazine. Across the front of the hardcover read 'Potions: A Book for the Year Fours' and the magazine 'Quidditch Monthly: Strategies and Guaranteed Victories'. "I imagine I'll try to make wasteful time useful again." She whispered to herself opening the door of her room. The door creaked showing its age and fatigue and Allison quickly stepped out onto the winding staircase.

Every third step would groan and creak, she counted. Even if she attempted to walk as if on air the step would make a similar screech as the one before. Finally the Common Room came into view; Allison looked at the three-seater couch that had a crimson and gold blanket draped across and stood right in front of the fire and came to the conclusion that at that exact moment it would be more comfortable then ever. However her eyes were drawn away from the couch and to the one-seater arm chair when a voice said, "Why didn't you kiss him?"


	8. Chapter 8

"I beg your pardon?" she asked attempting to make out the person face. 

"I don't believe I stuttered, however if you really must hear it again," he stated using the chair's arm as assist to stand up. And as he stood up, his hair shining from the light that the fire was producing, she determined it was identical to the shade of the fire. George Weasley placed the pillow, which had lain on his lap previously, back on the couch where it had originally belonged and held his book entitled 'The Noble Sport of Warlocks'. 

"Allison are you alright?" he questioned with sincerity. 

"Yes. I'm one hundred percent peachy," she grinned as she searched her mind for what had been said during her loss of thought, "you just frightened me a bit."

"Right." He said as if obligated to. "But don't think your getting out of answering my question so easily."

"Your question, R…right," she paused, looked away, then looked at him. "What was your question?"

He chuckled and then repeated his question. "Why didn't you kiss him?"

"He told you?" she asked.

"I'm one of his best mates, why wouldn't he tell me?" he said answering her question with another question. 

"well I…well I just thought that maybe he was mad about the whole thing, so he would take it out on the Quidditch field, instead of telling someone." She stammered through her sentence. 

"Your thinking is way too wishful my dear," he chuckled. "Actually he took it out on the Quidditch team."

"I don't get it," she replied.

He held up the book in his hand and said "do you really think I would be reading this if I wasn't forced to Allison? It's the teams reading assignment." 

"And Katie and Alicia?" she inquired.

"What about them?" he said confused.

"The title says 'The Noble Sport of Warlocks'" she stated emphasizing the word Warlock.

"Oh right," he laughed, "Well I didn't really think of that. He probably didn't desire to offend them…" he paused. "So I imagine he gave them something different or nothing at all. Now little missy," he said after a few moments, "Before you go changing the subject again, if you would do me the favor of answering the question that's been picking at my brain. Why didn't you kiss him?"

She pondered the question for a while, and took into consideration each diminutive aspect that she had in her memory of the occurrence. She argued with her self for quite some time about her feelings on the situation and finally looked George straight in the eyes with sorrow and answered, "Truthfully, I don't know."

"You don't know!" he shrieked, frightening Allison causing her to jump backwards and drop her books that she had clutched, the whole time, with puissance. "I mean you don't know at all?" he lowered his voice to room appropriate tone. He looked down at the pile of books that had been thrown in front of him and his brow became quizzical. "What's this?" he asked her bending down to pick the object in question up. 

"Nothing!" she replied a little too rushed, reaching for the magazine. "Just some additional potions reading," she lied. 

As he flipped the magazine over to see the cover, she mentally hit herself. "Potions? It says 'Quidditch'" he frowned and looked towards her direction. "Is it yours?" he questioned.

"No, No. I must have grabbed Katie's Quidditch magazine as a substitute to my potions one." She chuckled tensely.

He laughed out loud then held the magazine within an arms reach. "Your secrets safe with me, you don't have to feel the need to lie Stapleton. Besides, I have the utmost respect for any girl who can understand Quidditch and actually enjoys it."

She stared at him in shock; as if almost positive he would laugh in her face and then run around waking the tower up to spread the news. She had even begun to hear him screaming 'The nerd is a closet Quidditch freak! Tell all the professors!'.

"What?" she questioned, disbelieving.

"I said don't worry, I'm not going to expose you 'real' you," he laughed at the last part. 

"Thank you," she said meekly.

"Now return the favor and finish answering my question," he demanded, "I'm much more interested in that."

"I told you, I don't know." She stated simply.

"That's not good enough," he crossed his arms.

"What in addition do you want?" she requested. 

"Well, I'm not really sure." He pondered. "He said that you looked scared when he first thought about doing it." 

"Yes I've heard that," she shook her head when he opened his mouth to start a question, "Forget it. I guess I was scared because it's Oliver. I mean, well, I'm not saying I don't like him, like that. Its just we've never been like 'that'. Does that even make sense?" she argued with herself.

"No," he shook his head in unison of his statement.

"Yes well, I imagine it doesn't." she agreed.

"Well I was just speculating." He said walking away from her towards the boy's dormitories stairwell. "I should," he pointed up," you know, head up. Big day tomorrow, First practice and all."

"Yeah well, sleep well." She smiled.

"Yeah you too, thanks." 

"Night," she whispered as she watched him disappear. She sighed heavily, turned to stare at the couch, and started walking towards it.

"Hey Stapleton?" she heard from behind her. 

"Yes?" She answered placing her hand on her chest, playing around with her necklace.

"Come to our practice tomorrow. You know after your done with your potions studies." He laughed putting quotes around the potions part of the sentence.

She picked up the pillow and threw across the common room to his face. 

'Oomph!' she heard, and with a satisfied tone said, "Good, I hope that hurt."

"Seriously though, come. I believe Oliver might be pleased about that."

"Okay." She replied plainly.

"Goodnight, once more" he smiled. 

"Goodnight." She at last finished her journey to the couch which was so greatly lit by the room fire and sat down. She shifted slightly as if to make herself relaxed, and after a second did just that.

Without worrying about anything she opened the magazine and began to read it. 'A Mr. Philbert Deverill will replace Puddlemere United's old manager, a Mr. Tomalin,' she read.

And just as fast as she had started to read, she began to feel herself tire, so she lightly closed her eyes for a moment. As she did the fire, being the nuisance of silence that it is, popped and crackled, forcing her to open her eyes out of habit. Through her peripheral vision she saw a figure step forward to the side, near the arm of the couch.

"I couldn't sleep," Oliver declared. 

"Too excited?" she found herself questioning as she folded the magazine, and carefully placed it in the crease between the arm and the cushion, and even more wary not to lure interest to it.

"About what?" he asked furrowing his brow.

"Your first day of practice…"

"Oh right. Yes, yes, of course." He said sitting down on the cushion next to her.

The unfamiliarity of his closeness, however, frightened her and was basis of her shifting her weight.

The awkward silence made both of them feel impelled to say something. In feeling pressed to do so, they both started a sentence of small talk, making the conversation sound jumbled.

"I'm sorry, go ahead." Allison said slightly chuckling.

"No, No, what were you saying?" He queried.

"Truthfully, I wasn't quite sure what I was going to say." She smiled looking up from her hands.

His eyes caught hers and he grinned back at her. He slowly began to move his hand over and across her lap, but she read it all wrong. She pressed her hand to his and laced her fingers with his. He stiffened and stared at her.

"That's not what you were thinking of doing was it?" she slapped herself mentally as she quickly removed her hand from his and placed it on her thigh. "Sorry," was all she could bring herself to say.  
He stared at her for a moment, as she stared down in embarrassment, he then placed his hand on top of hers and laced his fingers through hers like they had been moments before.


	9. Chapter 9

The common room's only source of warmth was coming from the half circle window that the sun was shining through. Two couples stood in front of a couch, gawking at what lay there. A young mans shoulder stood as a pillow for a young lady. His arm, was wrapped around her back, and held her close. Her legs were pulled up on the couch and tucked as close as possible to her body for warmth. That hand that wasn't gently placed around her, was still laced through her fingers, from the night before.

In the crowd, a red head stood smiling, while the rest of the audience' faces were the complete opposite. 

"Do you think, do you think they've been that way the whole night?" Fred Weasley turned to ask his twin brother. "They couldn't have. I mean its Oliver…its Oliver and Allison none the less." He stated answering himself.

"Well its not like somebody could have placed them here without them knowing, Fred." George said chuckling.

"But… but when I fell asleep…when I fell asleep Allison was still in our dorm. She was talking to me, and we fell asleep at the same time. But even before that she was telling me that she didn't like Oliver like that." Katie said trying to convince herself that what she saw was a sham.

"Oh, she came down to the common room last night. And she and I resolved that whole disliking Oliver thing." George chuckled.

Movement brought the groups attention back to the couch. Allison who had in fact spent the whole night with her head rested and comfortable on Oliver's chest shifted slightly, so that half of her face was buried and the other half showed. When she had made herself comfortable, she tightened her eyes closed tighter, as if heightening her senses, and took a deep breathe in capturing Oliver's scent. 

"She's in love with him now." George whispered half jokingly.

"How can she hate him one moment and then love him the next?" Katie inquired.

"Katie! Really?" Fred questioned as if not believing her folly. "It's Allison, does anyone really know the true her."

George laughed as he thought about the Quidditch book she had tried to hide the night before. "No one, and I mean no one knows the true Allison. She's just a bundle of surprises. Now," he said after a moment, "lets go get breakfast before Dumbledore waves the precious gift from Merlin all away."

---------

After she had resolved the whole common room incident and assured the group that what her and Oliver had was nothing more then friendship, she made the decision not to go to the teams practice that afternoon. When she had said the phrase "we are just friends" she swore saw Oliver's face drop. But he quickly hid his emotions and nodded his head repeatedly in agreement. They weren't doing the best job of lying, they could tell, but they were doing a patch up job that would get the group off their backs for enough time to come up with an excuse together.

Since practice was the only 'alone' time she got away from her friends she made the decision to use it wisely. She pulled out her playbook and let her mind run away, and her hand doodle to keep up with it. When her brain started going blank, she switched from creativity to writing down the days events. She pulled out a book labeled 'journal' that was a deep purple and suede covered. Then she dug further in her bag and pulled out a quill that read 'A. Stapleton', had been charmed into alternating the colors of dark red and gold on the white feathers, and which never needed ink.

_"This ones really special." Fred said his voice cracking on the last part of the sentence. ___

_"Beyond special." George corrected his brother as they both chuckled. ___

_"What did you do to it boys? What prank should I expect from my quill this time? Ink spaying my face, or perhaps it wont write what I want it to?" a first year Allison questioned. ___

_"You offend our creativity Ms. Stapleton." ___

_"Besides, we're almost second years now. We are much too mature for practical jokes." George finished. ___

_"We felt you needed something…" ___

_"That showed you're growing up…" ___

_"So we got you this." ___

_"Well we more of made you this." ___

_"It's beautiful. Thank you Fred and George." Allison replied getting up from under the mountain of tissue and wrapping paper that lay on top of her and hugging the boys. "I'm so appreciative that I'm not even going to experiment with this to see what you two really did to it." ___

_"We swear on our great uncle's grave that we didn't do anything to it." Fred smiled. __  
__"But Fred, our great uncle," George started but his ribs were shortly after met by Fred's elbow. He yelped and gave his brother an angry look that disappeared soon after. "Oh yeah! We promise. Scout's honor." _  
Little did Allison know that neither of the Weasley twins was a boy scout, therefore they had no intention of keeping their so called 'honor'. And while she wrote her thoughts into the book, the boys (and girls) had returned from their practice.

"So do you think Allison's the reason Oliver was so distracted in practice today?" Katie questioned the group as they walked through the fat ladies portrait.

"Well the only thing I've known to distract Oliver is, well Quidditch. And I don't think he could be distracted by Quidditch while he's playing Quidditch." Fred said picking a piece of dirt off of his grass stained shirt.

"What goes on in there I will never understand," Angelina remarked knocking on Fred's head.

"So where is Allison anyways?" George questioned looking towards the girl's stairwell.

"Who knows? Most likely writing in that journal of hers," Katie said throwing herself on the couch.

"Her journal?" Fred more of stated then asked, raising his eyebrow and grinning from ear to ear. He then proceeded to do something that looked more like stumbling then running, toward the stairs.

"Where's he going?" Katie and Angelina asked no one in particular.  
Their question was answered when Fred appeared at the bottom of the stairwell with a book in his hand.

As he walked back to his original spot he opened the book to a black page. In fact it seemed as if all the pages that he turned were black. "This was a little invention George and myself created back in first year." He then moved towards the couch where Katie was laying and sat down next to her. Angelina and George stood behind the couch peering over Fred's shoulder. "We were desperate for a way to prove that Allison wasn't really a nerd."

"See Fred here was determined to show me that Allison was a 'break all the rules but look innocent' type of girl. He was sure that she would write about it in her journal since you girls write your lives in those books. Somehow he convinced himself that their marriage would be better if she lived some secret life." George told Angelina chuckling.

"Their marriage?" she questioned.

"Yes, Fred had the largest school boy's crush on Allison first and second year. He became so infatuated that he convinced himself (and told everyone he knew) that they would be married straight out of Hogwarts." George said laughing harder. 

"Shut it!" Fred shouted at his brother. "But the purpose of the story is, do you know the quill she has that changes colors?"

"Yeah of course, the girls have been jealous of it… since," Katie paused as realization struck.

"First year," Fred and Katie said in unison, Fred's tone calmer then Katie's.

"You two are horrible!" Angelina said punching George in the arm.

"And the book that Fred has shows us everything that she writes with that. And since she writes only in her journal with that quill, we know all." George said placing two fingers to the corner of his head as if he was reading thoughts. 

Fred placed his wand to the blank pages and whispered something that was inaudible to the group. "Tell them what you whisper Fred!" George commanded.

Fred rolled his eyes and proceeded to tell them as if someone was twisting his arm behind his back forcing him to. "I say 'The world is what I promise your beautiful face, if your secret you will share'."

The group was quiet for a moment. Then, everyone but Fred started cracking up unable to control themselves any longer. Little bits of remarks that included statements such as "Man he had it bad", "How sad", and "Can you say stalker" made Fred's face turn a brighter red with each word. It wasn't until George noticed writing appearing on the pages that the laughter stopped.

"Look! She's writing." He pointed to the words.


	10. Chapter 10

_Hogwarts is getting difficult. And I find I'm faced with decisions I would have never been faced with in my previous years here. Oliver will always place Quidditch before anything in his life there is no doubt about that. However…_

The writing stopped and the silent group looked at Each other questioningly.

"Well?" Katie shouted at the book, "however what?"

"Don't tell me you broke it Fred." George looked at his brother accusingly.

"How do you break a spell dummy? Besides for all we know she could be thinking." Fred defended himself.

"Or she could know about the spell," offered a new voice. Oliver stood leaning against the common room's entrance, arms crossed, and staring at the group. "Besides, haven't any of you heard of personal space?"

"Now you're beginning to sound like our mum," Fred and George said in unison.

"Well maybe you should listen to her once in a while," Oliver demanded. "Those are Allison's personal thoughts. I don't think she'd hesitate one second to kick your arses after finding out about this."

Oliver's movement towards the stairs brought the group to their feet to let out a scream of 'no!' Oliver knew of course that he would never be able to climb the stairs to that lead to her room. He simply planned to shout for her at the bottom stairs.

Improvising Fred decided to try and persuade Oliver against what he was about to do. "You know you can't go up the girls staircase. And well, what if she's writing about you?" he baited Oliver.

Failing miserably Oliver tried to look disinterested. He eyes shifted around as if viewing his current thoughts and he finally turned to the group and whispered, "Fine. But this stays a secret!' Oliver demanded. 

"No we are all just going to off and tell Allison that we all read her journal through a spell Fred and myself put on her quill that we got for her birthday. Believe me mate, if a guilty conscience was something that ate away at us we would have been kicked out of Hogwarts our first year."

"Before that even. They would have sent us our acceptance letters then sent another notice of expulsion." Fred chuckled at his joke. 

"And even that would have saved you the wrath of me." Came a voice full of anger from the staircase. "Have you any morals or sense of personal respect at all?" Allison asked. "Did you think it was funny, evasion of my thoughts?"

"There's no reason to be mad love. It was only a practical joke," George defended the group.

"Who says I'm mad? I'm not mad." She said through clenched teeth.

"Phew!" the group sighed relaxing.

"I'm fuming!" she was screaming now. The screaming caused a giant scene, and the scene drew everyone to the common room. There were even students from other houses outside of the common room pressing their ears to the fat ladies portrait (much to her dislike) trying to hear the disorder within.  
"I trusted you!" she pointed to Oliver. "I trusted all of you!" she said facing the group again. "But mostly I trusted you!" she was back to Oliver, but this time she was shoving him. Oliver not sure of how to react stepped back with each shove. When they got to circle of people that had formed around them, they audience parted. And her shoves, which got harder with each touch, didn't stop when she had Oliver backed against the wall. He just stared at her with big chocolate brown guilt-filled eyes.

George walked up behind her when she started crying. He wrapped his hands around her forearms and embraced her from behind.

"Get off of me!" she screamed shaking him off. "Don't touch me! Don't ever touch me," she said in a calmer yet still as shaky voice. "None of you," she sobbed, "I don't ever want to talk to any of you." She pointed to Fred, George, Katie, and Angelina emphasizing her statement. She then proceeded to walk straight up to Oliver. Oliver who half expected to be slapped winced when she approached him. 

"And I never want to hear your name, see your face," she paused, " or hear your voice ever again."

"Allison," he reached for her arm his eyes pleading as much as his voice. 

"Ever again," she whispered tears falling down her face. She shook her wrist free from his grasp and walked up the stairs to her dormitory.

"Allison." He whispered begging. Oliver placed one foot on the staircase and before he knew completely what he was doing his legs were racing up the staircase. To him it seemed like everything was happening in slow motion and the scene was taking forever. The scene those around him watched was Oliver running up six giant stairs grabbing the door handle and then fall down. The staircase was now a slide and Oliver's legs flipped out from underneath him. His cheekbone ended up breaking the fall and as it did everything in Oliver's world went black.

Three Months Later

"Ms. Stapleton, there is nothing more tragic then the loss of ones friend." Headmaster Dumbledore stated looking down, rubbing his chin in thought, and pacing the area behind his desk. "And the loss of all of one's friends…"

"Is sometimes extremely necessary and for the best," she interrupted, "sir.'

"A certain," he paused looking for an appropriate word, "grieving period would be expected perhaps?" he stopped pacing as he sat down in his chair and made eye contact with Allison, as if waiting for the answer.

"Was that a statement or a question professor? For if the first I would agree in your thinking."

"And if it were the second?" Dumbledore asked out of pure curiosity.

"Well if the second I would have to reply, with all due respect sir, that I must disagree. For you see most people would receive that grieving period with open arms. Others however are much stronger, emotionally that is, then most believe."

"Ah! And it is that kind of intellectual thinking that I enjoy in the youth of today." Dumbledore smiled, his eyes glistening.

"I'm sorry sir, but I don't believe my mother would approve of me wasting valuable education time in such a manor as to simply boast my opinion." 

"Ah yes, spoken like a true pureblood. I asked you to my office ms. Stapleton to simply ask for you to reconsider your letter. Your mother sent me quite the letter explaining that it was to your wishes that you be transferred to Beauxbatons."

"Yes sir." Allison replied ensure if it was what she truly wished to do. 

"And when is that you wish to leave?"

It took her a minute to respond. She couldn't seem to get the words out to finalize her leave. "In one week, sir. Please."

"And you're positive this is what you want to do?"

"Yes sir." She replied in a very quite and doubtful voice.

"Then I shall write to Headmistress Maxime right away."

"Thank you professor. But if you don't mind me asking, what will you say?" 

"I shall tell her nothing of your reasoning behind the transfer. I will just tell her about the intelligent courageous and charming lady whom she is about to receive at her school."

"My reasoning? I believe that is the most important thing to tell her. Didn't my mother tell you why I want to go to Beauxbatons?" she questioned.

"Yes she did Ms. Stapleton. However I highly doubt your dislike for the 'distractions' here at Hogwarts would be reason enough."

"I beg you pardon?" she asked getting a little irritated.

"Your request for a transfer wouldn't be because of a certain boy would it?" he asked. At the same time as the question was asked there was a knock on the Headmaster's doors and a boy with brown locks who looked like he hadn't slept in weeks walked in. Allison now found herself annoyed at everything in Dumbledore's office.

"I'm sorry," Oliver struggled to say, "Should I come back later Professor?" he asked Dumbledore but his eyes were focused on Allison.

"No," Allison protested. "Professor Dumbledore and I were just closing up our discussion. Professor my request for the transfer is not because of what happened between 'a boy' as you called him and myself. Nothing to do with it. Thank you for being concerned enough to discuss that with me."

Oliver stared at her as she walked out of the office completely ignoring his presence. Disbelief was written all across his face and he repeated in his mind (as if it would help) 'Look at me Allison, Look at me!' However when she didn't he felt the immediate need go after her. "Excuse me Professor Dumbledore," he said as he ran off after her. 

"Allison!" he called after her. When he caught up to her he had to grab her by the wrist to stop her.

"What do you want Oliver?" she said anger dripping from her voice.

"I want you to accept my apology. And to not to transfer to a different school."

"Accepted apology or not, it will not change my transfer to Beauxbatons." She said avoiding his eyes.

"I'm sorry Allison, from the bottom of my heart." He eyes pleaded. 

"Your sorry?" she chuckled. "I trusted you Oliver, you knew I liked you."

"And I liked you too. Well like you. And that's why I had to know what you were saying about me." He said rushing his statement as if she'd disappear at any given moment.

"People's personalities and lives change even in one month Oliver."

"Everyday I sat and wrote you letter after letter trying to write the perfect one. The perfect one that would let you know how truly sorry I am, and how much I really like you." He said ignoring her statement.

"Liked." 

"What?" he questioned.

"How much you liked me. Not like." She corrected.

"No I like you" he said closing the distance that was between then and caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. He leaned down to close the rest of the gap between their lips when she stopped him.

"Oliver. I'm getting married."


End file.
